Say What?!? - Nov. 19

"I think the view some have of our first offer is fairly naive as it relates to collective bargaining. A sophisticated negotiator would have looked at it and said, 'Obviously they want a 50-50 split.' If we're at 57 and they propose 43, they must be telegraphing where they want to end. If your intention was to use it in an inflammatory way, you could do that. If your intention was to make a deal, you could pretty much chart out what the course should be."

- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman explaining why he doesn't believe the owners' first lowball offer to the players was a mistake.